Cecil htjlme johnson



Patented Feb. 3, 1931 mean PAIN-T FEE-CE r FREDERICK H. JOHNSON, OF SOUTH PASADENA, CALIFORNIA; CECIL I-IULME JOHNSON ADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID FREDERICK H. JOHNSON, DECEASED CONTROL SYSTEM Application filed October 28, 1925. Serial No. 65,343.

This invention relates to control systems, and is more particularly directed to a system for controlling the operation of a sprinkling system so that the separate sprinkling units may be operated asunits or a group of such units operated at the same period of time from a common point without the necessity of the use of auxiliary control means from a central point through each set of units or to each unit.

In Patent No. 1,520,132, issued to myself, of December 23, 1924, I have disclosed and claimed a system and means of control in which a plurality of auxiliary connections i are employed for obtaining such control.

This system is for most purposes too complicated and expensivefor installation for practical use in that the same requires a plurality of pipes for the operation of each separate unit. I

In Patent No. 1,258,013, of March 5, 1918, issued to myself, another system of control, in which a single auxiliary pipe is employed to obtain the control of the separate units or sets of units of the system, is disclosed. In this system the control means are operated by a differential hydraulic pressure and necessitates the installation of separate pipes from the point of control to each unit or set of units of the system.

According to the present invention, a plurality of units either operating in sets or individually are operated through the agency of mechanical and hydraulic pressures, no auxiliary or separate control means being necessary so that the cost of installation, maintenance,and other like andsimilar costs are greatly reduced.

In adapting such a sprinkling system to use, it is primarily important to ascertain the water pressure available so that the system may be installed in such units or sets of units as will apply that water pressure to its most beneficial use. Particularly this isnecessary in localities where the water supply is low, or the pressure is low, in which case to connect or operate too many separate units in aset would defeat entirely the purpose of the sprinkling system in that the water sprinthereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevationof a control system embodying this invention, illustrating the control units and central control memher in sectional side elevation, and illustrating the system inthe closed or non-operating position.

Fig. 2 is a like view thereof, illustrating the central control member adjusted to operating position and illustrating one of-the con-.

trol members with one of the units open to permit the discharge of water therefrom.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional side eleva tion of one of the unit control members embodying this invention.

Fig. is a top plan view taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 3. Y

In the preferred embodimentof this invention shown in the accompanying drawings, 1 illustrates a water supply line which is connected to the conduit 2 through the three-way valve 3. Conduits 41 connect the separate sprinkler heads 5 with the conduit 2 and automaticcontrol units 6 are con points ofthe surnected in the conduits 4 which'connect the sprinklers 5 to the conduit 2. Either a single sprinkler 5 may be controlled by the automatic control units 6 or a plurality of units may be connected therewith and cont-rolled thereby, the conduit 4 being broken away as illustrated at 7 to illustrate that the conduit may be extended to and connected to other sprinkler heads 5. When a plurality of such sprinkler heads 5 are connected with acommon conduit 1, the same will constitute what is termed in this application an operating set. A pressurerelief pipe 8 is connected with the three-way valve 3. The operation and construction of the respective automatic units 6 is preferably as follows:

Each unit 6 comprises a casing 9, which casing 9 has a pair of oppositely extending branches 10 and 10*, by means of which the same is connected within the conduit 1. The casing 9 is capped at its upper end as illustrated at 11, the cap 11 being provided with a plug 12. A carrier frame 13 is screw threaded within the casing 9 as illustrated at 14 and supports the automatic operating mechanism. The casing 6 also provides a seat 15. The branch 10 is an inlet branch to the casing, the flow being through the branch 10 through the bore 16 formed in the partition 17 of the casing 9, and hence through the conduit 18 and out through the branch 10 into the section 19 of the conduit 4, which section 19 of the conduit 1 is connected through leads 20 with the sprinkler head 5. The carrier frame 13 provides a cylinder 21 in which the piston 22 reciprocates.

Screw threaded to the piston 22, as illustrated at 23, is a piston rod 2 1 which has a head 25 which is adapted to reciprocate within the cylinder 26. Screw threaded within the cylinder 26 is a ring 27 through which the piston rod 24 extends. Secured to the end of the cylinder 26 is a valve head 28 which may be of'any desired or preferred construction and which is held in position to seat upon the seat 15 formed within the casing 9. Formed within the carrier frame 13 is an inwardly extending flange 29 which acts as a guide for the piston rod 30 of the piston 22 and which also provides a surface against which the returnspring 31 is engaged and which return spring 31 is engaged at its opposite end against the piston 22 so that the spring 31 normally urges the piston 22 downward into the position illustrated in Fig. 3.

Mounted upon the piston rod 30 is a ring 32 which has a slot 33 formed in its periphery. The ring 32 reciprocates within the.

chamber 3 1 formed in the carrier frame 13. A ratchet or gear 35 is secured to the upper end of the collar 36 which connects with the ring 32. A A stop pawl 37 is mounted upon the post 38 which projects from the carrier frame 13 and is normally held in position to engage one of the teeth of the ratchet 35 "by means of a spring 38.

A pusher pawl 39 is mounted upon a similar post 40 carriedby the carrier frame 13'. A cylindrical head 11 is screw threaded to the upper extension of the piston rod 30 as illus trated at 42. This pusher pawl has an inclined engaging surface 43"and is engaged or guided at its inner end 411 by the surface of the cap 11. A lug or projection 45 is formed upon the interior surface of the carrier frame 13 and extends within the chamber 34; and is of sufiicient size to pass through the slot 33 formed in the ring 32 when the ring is rotated to the correct position. A spring A6 maintains the edge A l of the pusher pawl 39 in engagement with the surface of the cap 11.

The operation of this system is as follows:

The control units 6 are first set so that the same, when actuated, will alternately be opened to permit the alternate or successive discharge from the nozzles 5 thereof. This setting is accomplished by removing the cap 12 from the casing 9 and rotating the rod 30 so that the slot 33 is moved to the proper position to permit the successive openings of the control units 6 to permit the water to be alternately or successively discharged through the nozzles 5. By this manner, the nozzles 5 may be set to operate in singular succession so that at any one time only one nozzle 5 is discharging water, or the control 6, by this manner, may be set so that a plurality of control. units 6 are opened in sets at the same time so as to permit the discharge from a plurality of the set of-nozzles 5 simultaneously.

The three-way valve 3 being turned to the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the entire system is closed and water prevented from flowing from the nozzles or sprinklers 5. When the valve is turned to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 the water is admitted into the conduit 2 and hence through each of the conduits 4: through the inlets 10 of the casings 9 of the control unit 6. The valve head 28 is seated in all of the control units. The fluid pressure acts upon the under surface of the piston 22 and elevates the same, which raising or elevating of the piston 22 is accompanied by a rotation of the piston caused by the teeth of the pawl or gear 35 engaging the slope or inclined surface of the pusher pawl 39. As the gear35 is raised, one of the teeth thereof is engaged with the slope surface 10 of the gear 35 and the gear is caused to rotate a certain distance, which may be the distance of one tooth on the gear 35 ormay be a greater distance, depending upon the slope of the surface 10 and distance of travel of the gear 35. This rotation of the gear 35 is accompanied by a rotation of the ring 32 so that the slot 33 formed therein is finally rotated to a position in alignment with the lug 15 formed on the carrier frame 13. Any one of the units, whenever the valve 3 is turned to the operating position, forms agroove 33 which will be in alignment with the lug 15 so that the upper surface of the small piston 25 is engaged by the lower sur-' face of the ring 27 and the motion of the piston 22 (the same being permitted to raise beyond the position limited by the lug 45), raises the valve head 28 from the seat 15 and permits the water to flow through the bore 16"and hence out the outlet 10 to the sprinkler head or heads 5.

'lVhen the sprinkersso set in operation havesprinkled sulficient water or the like the valve 3 is turned again to the position illuswater is not dissipated from the upper end of the pipe 8 to make a reservoir or seeping portion of the land at this point. By this means .the ordinary sump provided for in such systems is done away with. T he water pressure having been dissipated from the conduits 2 and 4, the spring 31 returns the valve head 28 to the seated position. When the valve 3 is again turned to the open position the next sprinkler head or heads 5 are put in operation by a like turn of the control unit, the unit previously opened having been closed by a rotation of the piston 22 thereof to rotatethe ring 32 to a position in which the .slot 33 formed in the periphery of the ring 32 does not register with'the lug 45.

A bore 50 is ,fo rmed'in the upper surface of the cap 41 and is adapted to receive a key (not shown) so that the position of the slot 33 ,may vbe regulated in relation to the lug 4:5. The units 6 are preferably mounted within boxes provided with covers (not shown for the sake of clarity ofthe drawing) which boxes are set in the ground. The cover being removed the plug 12 is unscrewed and the key inserted in the bore 50 and the unit 6 adjusted to operate at any desired or preferred relation. A dial (likewise not shown) is mounted on the cap 41 and is numbered with the same number of figures as there are units in the system so that any desired adjustment of the units may be effected.

Any preferred or desired form of automatic control means or either mechanical or hy-= draulic operation, may be employed to rotate the three-way valve 3 or the same may be rotated by a time clock as is desired or particularly suited for the particular installation of the system.

Having fully described a preferred-em bodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact construct-ion hereinset forth, which may obviously be varied in detail without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a single pipe sprinkler controlsystem the combination of a plurality of automatic control units and a plurality of sets of elements to be controlled, a single supply pipe connecting the units to a source of hy-- draulic pressure, the said control units comprising means operable by hydraulic pressurei't'or actuating the control units whereby at each time hydraulic pressure is admitted to the control. units, one unit operates to set one of the said elements or sets of elements in operation and the others control units actuated to bring the units into selective operation and means within the control units for returning the first said means to the non-operating position when the hydraulic pressure is dissipated.

2. A control unit comprising a casing, a valve seat formed within the casing, a pair 01" branchesextending from the casing and adapted for use in connecting the casing in a supply line, a valve head'mounted within the casing and adapted to seat on the valve seat, automatic means mountedwithin the casing and adapted to raise the valve head from the seat when actuated .to a predetermined'position and means within the. casing for returning the automatic means to the non-operating position. v

'3. In a single pipesprinkler control system the combination of a plurality of sets of units,-a single supply pipe connecting the setsof units, an automatic control for each unit including combination hydraulic and mechanical operated means for actuating each control unit to operate the setsof units consecutively.

4. Ina single pipe sprinkler control systern the combination of a plurality of units, a sing-lesupply pipe connecting said units an automatic control foreachcf said units including rotatable hydraulicpressure means for actuating the said automaticcontrols to operate the said units consecutively, and mechanically operatedmeans for returning the control units to the non-actuated position.

5. A control unit-adaptedjto be mounted intermediate a source of water supply,anda water discharge nozzle inthe supply line, including means adapted to be selectively actuated-bythe hydrostatic pressure fromtthe source of supply, and mechanical means for selectivelyreturning the said actuating means tothe non-actuating position when the hydrostatic .pressure is dissipated.

6. A control unit adapted to be mounted in a supply line intermediate a source of hydrostatic pressure, and a discharge nozzle, the combination of means operable by hydrostatic pressure foractuating the control unit, means'within the control unit and adapted to be selectively set to open the said controlunit after a predetermined number-ofactuations bythesaid hydrostaticactuating means, and mechanically operable means forautomatically returningthe said hydrostatic actuating mQRIIS'lZO:thQIIOII OPBHLfiVQ position when the hyd osta c PQ$ l T6 d s p t actuations, and mechanically operable means for returning the said actuating means to the inoperative position after each actuation thereof.

8. A control unit adapted to be mounted in a supply line between a source of hydrostatic pressure, a discharge element comprising a casing, a valve seat formed within the casing, a piston mounted in said casing and adapted to be automatically actuated by the hydrostatic pressure, valve head mounted within the casing and adapted to seat on the valve seat, selective operating means interposed between the said piston and the said valve head for lifting the said valve head from the valve seat after a predetermined number of actuations of said selective operating means.

9. A control unit comprising a casing, a valve seat formed within the casing a valve head mounted within the casing and adapted to seat on the saicL valve seat, automatic actuating means mounted within the said casing, lost motion means interposed between the said valve head and the said automatic actuating means, and means mounted within the said casing and operably connected with the said hydrostatic actuating means for permitting the hydrostatic actuating means to lift the said valve head from the said valve seat after a predetermined number of actuations of the said hydrostatic actuating means.

10. In a control unit, the combination of a casing, a pair of branches extending from the casing and adapted for use in connecting the casing in a supply line, a valve seat formed in the casing, a valve head mounted within the casing and adapted to seat on the said valve seat for controlling the flow in the said supply line, a cylinder formed within the said casing, a piston mounted within the said cylinder, lost motion means connecting the said piston with the said valve head, means for normally limiting the movement of the said hydrostatic piston, means formed in the said limiting means and adapted to be set in a predetermined position for permitting extended movement of the said hydrostatic piston to unseat the said valve head on actuation of the said piston.

11. In a control unit, the combination of a casing having a pair of branches adapted for use in connecting the casing in a supply line, a valve seat formed in the said casing, automatic actuating means adapted to be removably mounted in the said casing, said automatic actuating means providing a valve head adapted to seat on the said valve seat formed in the casing, and selective automatic actuated means for lifting the said valve head from the said valve seat after a predetermined operation of the said automatic control unit.

12. In a control unit, the combination of a casing, a fluid supply passage formed through the said casing, a valve mounted in position to close the said fluid passage, automatic actuated means mounted in the said casing in position for opening the said valve, and mechanically operable means mounted within the said casing for closing the said valve.

13. In a control unit, the combination of a casing, a fluid passage formed through the said casing, a valve mounted in the said casing in position to close the said fluid passage, a hydrostatic piston mounted in the said. cas ing, a piston rod connecting the said piston, a ratchet secured to one end of the said rodmeans mounted within the said casing for rotating the said rod a predetermined distance on longitudinal movement thereof, means for normally limiting the longitudinal movement of the said rod, means connecting the said valve with the said piston and permitting a lost motion between the said piston and the said valve, means mounted Within the said casing and adapted to permit extending longitudinal movement of the said rod after a predetermined rotation of the said rod to open the said valve, and automatic mechanical operable means mounted within the said casing for returning the said piston to the non-operating position after each actuation thereof.

Signed at Alhambra, California, this 22d day of October, 1925.

FREDERICK H. JOHNSON. 

